Insertable step

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods that facilitate access to space defined at least in part by a generally vertical surface. The apparatus of the present invention includes a tread and legs, each end of each leg may be efficiently inserted into appropriately sized and shaped receiving apertures within the generally vertical. The apparatus includes safety stops that assist a person to safely step onto the tread and a face of the tread on which information may be carried.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods thatfacilitate access to space defined at least in part by a generallyvertical surface. More specifically, the present invention is directedto apparatus that may be efficiently inserted into appropriately sizedand shaped receiving apertures within the generally vertical surface sothat access to the area defined at least, in part, by the verticalsurface may be facilitated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many known devices and related methods by which access toareas defined by a wall or walls—such as a sewer through a manhole—maybe obtained. These devices—known as anchors, steps, or rungs—in theirmost basic form have ends inserted into the wall and at a distance fromwhich a tread is supported. The devices may be placed in the wall as itis being formed, such as when the wall is made from concrete.Alternatively, the devices may be fixed to the wall by inserting theends of the devices into spaces made in the wall such as by drillinginto the wall material after the wall has been formed. The device isfixed to the wall through the use of a hammer and pounding on an area orareas of the device. In any case, once fixed to the wall, the devicemust be able to support a user standing on the tread of the device asthe user descends and/or ascends the walled area through the use of thedevice.

Because the devices are often used in locations that are dimly litand/or damp, wet, or icy, many known devices include one or morefeatures that are intended to decrease the likelihood that a personusing one of these types of devices to gain access to such locationswill have will not step securely onto the correct area of or slip fromthe rung. These safety features include one or more reflectors that areplaced on or are integrated within the surface of the known rung and areintended to show the user where the step is located even under reducedlight conditions. The safety features include texture or projectionsthat are positioned on or along ends of the stepping area and which areintended to prevent the user's foot or feet from slipping fromengagement with the upper surface of the rung.

Symmetrically configured devices are known. They are advantageous inthat an installer need not determine which face of the device is thatportion of the device on which the user is to step—that is, which way is“up”—before the installation process begins. Many other devices,however, have a generally asymmetric configuration with the devicehaving a top surface on one portion of which the user is to stand and abottom surface. Asymmetric known devices, however, may bedisadvantageous in that, with respect to some of these devices, a usermust properly identify which portion of the device is intended to formthe top surface before the device is pounded into the wall. This may bedifficult to accomplish efficiently when the devices are to be installedin low light conditions.

In addition to primarily safety elements, other known devices includeone or more other components to facilitate the further use or improvethe aesthetics of the device. Multi-component devices have greatercomplexity and, as a result, may be more difficult and costly tomanufacture.

A demand therefore exists for a device having a simplified constructionthat is easy to insert in prepared apertures within a wall so a personcan descend or ascend within the at least partially walled area and isgenerally safe to use. The present invention satisfies the demand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods thatfacilitate access to space defined at least in part by a generallyvertical surface. More specifically, the present invention is directedto apparatus that may be efficiently inserted into and supported fromapertures within the generally vertical surface so that access to thearea defined at least, in part, by the vertical surface may befacilitated.

The apparatus is a step including two legs and a tread on which a usercan stand. Each of the two legs include insertion ends that are sizedand shaped to be received in appropriately sized and shaped receivingapertures within the generally vertical surface for attachment of thestep to the vertical surface. A tread extends between the ends of thelegs opposite to the insertion ends. The step includes a front face thatis of a simplified construction to permit pressure to be appliedthereon, such as through the pounding on the face, in order tofacilitate the installation of the step even in low light conditions.The front face having such simplified construction also permitsinformation to be placed thereon such as on ad hoc basis. Theinformation that may be placed on the step front face may includerecommendations or safety warnings to installers. Because of therelative size of the step front face, the information that may be placedthereon may be presented in such a size or style that the informationcan be easily read even in low light conditions. The step includessafety stops that are intended to assist a person in placing his or hershoe or boot on the tread even when the ability to see the tread ishampered because, for example, of low light conditions or the personcan't easily see the step because the angle at which the person isdescending prevents the person from seeing the tread directly. The stepmay include engagement elements that assist a person—that is attemptingto stand on or remain on the step—from slipping. Overall, the step maybe of a generally simplified construction in order to lessen thedifficulty and cost in manufacturing the step.

These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawingsand the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiments of the invention will be described inconjunction with the appended drawings that are provided to illustrateand not to the limit the invention, where like designations denote likeelements, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of one embodiment of astep according to the present invention providing a simplifiedconstruction and generally uniform shape to facilitate its manufacture,insertion within a wall, and use.

FIG. 1A is a partial cross sectional view of the embodiment illustratedin FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of another embodiment ofa step according to the present invention providing a simplifiedconstruction and generally uniform shape to facilitate its manufacture,insertion within a wall, and use.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway fragmented perspective view of anadditional embodiment of a step including a palm grip portion.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A step—which permits a user to descend or ascend from an area that is atleast partially defined by a wall to which the step isattachable—according to the present invention is identified in theaccompanying drawings as 21. For convenience of description, terms suchas “upper”, “lower”, “outer”, “inner”, “horizontal”, “vertical”“outwardly”, and “inwardly” are used to refer to the step 21 in anorientation illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it willbe understood that embodiments of the step 21 advantageously can be usedin a variety of orientations, such as those in which the step 21 and/orthe wall 15 in which it inserted is angled such that the step 21 andwall 15 are not in a strict vertical/horizontal or an orthogonalrelationship to each other.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a step 21 according to the presentinvention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a step 21 having legs 31—eachextending along an axis L1 or L2—and a tread 51—that extends along anaxis T generally perpendicular to the axes L1, L2. Step 21 includes astep outer surface 23. The FIG. 1 embodiment is of a generallysimplified construction and configuration.

Each leg 31 of the FIG. 1 embodiment is generally identical in shape andconfiguration. Each leg 31 includes an insertion end 33 which ispreferably sized and shaped such that each leg 31 can be securelyengaged within an engagement surface 17 of the wall 15 to which the step21 is to be attached. The engagement surface 17 of the wall 15 may beprepared in the wall 15 through a variety of methods including drillinginto the wall or, when the wall is made from concrete, pouring theconcrete around appropriately sized and shaped concave forms to providethe generally convex-shaped engaging surfaces 17. The insertion end 33may include a tapered surface 34 to facilitate the secure engagement ofthe step 21 to the wall 15. In addition, each insertion end 33 mayinclude one or more compaction elements 35 having a construction andformed from a material that permits the compaction element or elements35 to deform during the insertion of the end 33 within the engagementsurface 17 and/or when weight is placed on the step 21, therebyincreasing the likelihood that the step 21 will be and remain securelyattached to the wall 15.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a step 21 according to the presentinvention. FIG. 2 largely includes all of the features of the FIG. 1embodiment and features that facilitate the secure insertion within andengagement of the step 21 with the engagement surface 17. Morespecifically, the step 21 shown in FIG. 2 provides a portion of the stepouter surface 23 along each leg 31—termed leg outer surface23L—configured to form a gripping surface 37. Embodiments of thegripping surface 37 may be sized and shaped to facilitate manualgripping contact of the leg 31 by an adult person. Embodiments of thegripping surface 37 may be further sized and shaped to anticipate thegripping contact of the leg 31 by an adult wearing a glove. FIG. 3 showsembodiments of the gripping surface 37 that include a finger gripportion 37F and a palm grip portion 37P.

More particularly, FIG. 2 shows a finger grip portion 37F formed on theinside surface 36C of each leg 31. The finger grip portion 37F of thegripping surface 37 may extend onto the lower surface 36D of the leg 31(not shown) to facilitate the gripping of the leg 21 such that thefingers may wrap around and make generally complete firm manual contactwith the leg 31 and thereby the step 21.

The palm grip portion 37P of the gripping surface 37 is shown in FIG. 3as ergonomically formed on the outer surface 36A of each leg 31. Palmgrip portion 37P is sized and shaped to accommodate the palm of theperson that is gripping the leg 21 such as during the process of holdingthe step 21 so that each of the insertion ends 33 of the step 21 may beeasily aligned at the mouth 18 of each of the engagement surface 17 andheld there while pressure is applied to the step 21—such as throughhammering the step—in order to drive each end 33 into contact with theengagement surface 17. FIG. 3 shows each leg 31 having such outersurface 36A that is convex at least in part to accommodate the palm ofthe person that is gripping the leg—thereby forming a palm grip portion37P—but without disrupting the general axial alignment of each leg 31relative to tread 51 thereby generally not weakening the leg 31 and sothat the amount of pressure that may be applied to the front face 53 inorder to drive each of the legs 31 into the respective engagementsurfaces 17 does not necessarily have to be lessened.

Tread 51 includes a front face 53 to which pressure may be applied—suchas through engagement of the face 53 by a hammer—in order to attach thestep 21 to the wall 15. To facilitate the installation of the step 21with a hammer, certain embodiments of the front face 53 are of aconstruction so that the installer can engage generally the full expanseof the face 53 and not, for example, at the particular blow receivingportions or striking surfaces that are components of certain knownfootholds, anchors, or rungs. Directing the blows of a hammer at aparticular part of the foothold or rung may be difficult to accomplishin the low light conditions in which such devices 21 are typicallyinstalled. Such difficulty is heightened because often the onlyavailable light is from an overhead source which may not reach thevertical surface of a device that an installer is attempting to hold inplace and hammer for installation.

The embodiment of the step 21 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 includes afront face 53 that is of a generally planar configuration 54—defined forpurposes of this application to be is, generally flat and withoutornamentation or other features formed in the step outer surface23—thereby permitting an installer to make generally full contact withface 53 with the head of the hammer. Such generally full contact allowsmore uniform pressure to be applied to the face 53, and thereby the step21, which in turn allows the installation to be completed moreefficiently with fewer blows of the hammer.

A front face 53 having a generally planar configuration 54advantageously permits, for example, the front face also to function asa receiving area for information. Information 61 that may be received onsome portion or all of the front face 53 includes recommendations orsafety warnings to installers that can be easily read prior to and/orduring installation of the step 21. Because of the expanse of the frontface 53 that may be devoted to this task, the information may bepresented in such a size that it can be easily read even in low lightconditions. Such instructions may be in the form of words—that informsthe installer, for example, the range of hammers (such as by weight orhead construction—e.g., rubber versus steel—or design) that may orshould be used to install the step 21. The instructions may include orbe completely in the form of drawings, which inform the installer, forexample, which portion of the front face 53 to engage with the hammerand in what order to accomplish the installation of the step. Drawingsadvantageously can communicate instructions to an installer universallyand without regard to the language in which the manufacturer maycommunicate.

To facilitate the quick and efficient placement of the information 61 onthe front face 53, including on an “as needed” or ad hoc basis, theinformation 61 may be placed on one or more information elements 65.Because of the generally planar configuration 54 of the front face 53,information elements 65 of a wide variety of sizes and shapes andconstructions may be placed on the face 53. For example, one embodimentof an information element 65 is in the form of a sticker—that is, aninformation element 65 that may be formed from a generally light weight,thin, and inexpensive material on which information may be printed andthat may be water proof or water proofed and may have a adhesive backing67 by which the element 64 can be adhered to the front face 53 asneeded. The information 61 on such information element 65 may alert theinstaller or installers of particular features or limitations of thestep 21 such as the type of hammer to use to install the step 21 or thepossible electrical conductivity of the step 21. The information 61 maybe varied depending on the language or languages which the installersmay speak. The information elements 65 may be reflective to light inpart or whole thereby assisting those installing and/or using the step21. Embodiments of the information elements 65 include those that maycover a large portion of the front face 51—such as the sticker-likeinformation element 65 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2—or be more limited insize and dimension and, possibly through such limitation(s), provideinformation 61 to the installers—such as the “bullseye” informationelements 65 shown in FIG. 3 which carry as information 61, thesuggestion to installers where they should direct the blows of theirhammers.

The step 21 includes safety stops 71 that are intended to assist aperson in placing his or her shoe or boot on the tread 51 even when theability to see the tread is hampered because, for example, of low lightconditions or because the person can't easily see the tread 51 becausethe angle at which the person is descending prevents the person fromseeing the tread 51 directly. To assist a user in properly placing hisor her shoe or boot on the tread 51, embodiments of the safety stop 71may include a beveled face 73 that informs a user simply by contact withthe safety stop 71 which way is the tread 51 and therefore which way tomove his or her foot before completing the stepping motion andattempting to place weight on the foot. For purposes of thisapplication, “beveled face” means a portion of the stop 71 that is at agenerally descending angle—shown as “a” in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG.3—relative to the most vertical portion 75 of the stop 71 and which auser trying to descend on the step 21 may come into preliminary contactwith his or her shoe or boot.

The embodiment of the safety stop 71 shown in the FIG. 1, FIG. 2, andFIG. 3 embodiment includes an inward portion 77 of the safety stop71—positioned inward from the plane “P” along which the outer surface36A of each leg 31 runs—and an outward portion 79—positioned outwardfrom the plane along which the outer surface 36A of each leg 31 runs. Asafety stop 71 having such an inward portion 77 and outward portion 79has added strength and is less likely to bend, deflect, or break offthan if the step was positioned wholly outward the plane of the surface36A of each leg 31. The inward portion 77 and outward portion 79 andplane “P” are better illustrated in FIG. 1A.

Step 21 may be made of a variety of constructions and materials thatpermit the step 21 to installed by placing pressure of the front face53—such as by pounding with a hammer on the front face 53—such thatinsertion ends 33 of the step are received in and generally fixed withinthe engagement surfaces 17 of the wall 15 to which the step 21 is to beattached. For example, the step 21 may be formed from a metal or a metalalloy—identified as metal for purposes of this application—configuredsuch as in a general “U” shape to form a core 20 and on which othermaterial, termed “protective” material for purposes of thisapplication—such as a material that can prevent the oxidation of thecore 20 when it is formed from a metal or alloy, or to increase thesafety of the step 21, such as to lessen its conductivity or preventslipping, or improve gripping of it—may be placed to form a layer 22,the outer portion of which forms the outer surface 23. Suitable materialfrom which the layer 22 may be formed include polypropylene or otherwell known plastic material or other material that can be easily shaped,extruded, or machined to provide the surface features of the step 21.

The step 21 may include engagement elements 81 that assist a person thatis attempting to stand on or remain on the step 21 from slipping. FIG. 1shows an embodiment of step 21 having leg engagement elements 83 offsetfrom each other along an upper surface 29 of leg 31. The embodiment ofthe step 21 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 also includes tread engagementelements 85 that further assist in allowing a user to maintain his orher footing while in contact with the step 21. One or more of theengagement elements may be a feature of additional embodiments of thestep 21 including the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

1. A step insertable in engagement surfaces within a wall comprising: acore formed from metal in a generally U-shape; a protective materialcovering said or all of said core to provide opposing legs connected ata tread end of each of said opposing legs to form a tread sized andshaped such that a person may step and stand thereon; a safety stoppositioned generally adjacent to said tread and parallel to a long axisof said each opposing legs, said safety stop projecting above said treadso that the person attempting to step or stand on said tread may contactsaid safety stop, said safety stop; including a beveled face such thatsaid beveled face is lower toward said tread thereby directing theperson where to stop or stand simply by contact with said safety stop;said tread including a generally open configuration face on which aninformation element may be positioned; said each of said opposing legsincluding insertion ends that are sized and shaped to be inserted in andengaged within the engagement surfaces for support of said step inrelationship to the wall to permit travel along same.